Agent Lays Out Roadmap For Raiders’ Return To Glory

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 30: Jamiza Olawale #49, Jack Crawford #91and Omar Gaither #53 of the Oakland Raiders walk down the tunnel before the game against the San Diego Chargers on December 30, 2012 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)Oakland Raiders walk down the tunnel before a game. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Joel Corry is a former sports agent who helped found Premier Sports & Entertainment, a sports management firm that represents professional athletes and coaches. Prior to his tenure at Premier, Joel worked for Management Plus Enterprises, which represented Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ronnie Lott. The following is his take on the current Raiders roster:

OAKLAND (CBS Sports) – The Oakland Raiders haven’t lived up to their slogan of “Commitment to Excellence” for a decade. Since losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Raiders have been plagued by questionable personnel decisions and bad player contracts. Reggie McKenzie, who was the Green Bay Packers director of football operations before being hired as general manager in January 2012, is overseeing one of the NFL’s most difficult tasks in his attempt to rebuild the Raiders.

Oakland’s problems can be traced to iconic owner Al Davis breaking up a solid team he assembled on the football side of the organization in 2002 by “trading” head coach Jon Gruden to the Buccaneers. The Bucs parted with their 2002 first- and second-round picks, their 2003 first-round pick, their 2004 second-round pick and $8 million dollars.

The move was a preemptive strike by Davis because Gruden, who had a 40-28 record in Oakland, may have left the Raiders once his contract expired after the 2002 season. High-ranking executive Bruce Allen, who managed the salary cap, joined Gruden in Tampa Bay two years later as general manager. Michael Lombardi, the top personnel executive, was let go when Lane Kiffin was hired as head coach in 2007.